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IMDbPro

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

  • 19391939
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 46m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
5.6K
YOUR RATING
Bette Davis and Errol Flynn in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
Trailer for this turbulent story of England and Queen Elizabeth
Play trailer3:29
1 Video
56 Photos
  • Biography
  • Drama
  • History
A depiction of the love/hate relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex.A depiction of the love/hate relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex.A depiction of the love/hate relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
5.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Michael Curtiz
  • Writers
    • Norman Reilly Raine(screen play)
    • Æneas MacKenzie(screen play)
    • Maxwell Anderson(from the stage play by)
  • Stars
    • Bette Davis
    • Errol Flynn
    • Olivia de Havilland
Top credits
  • Director
    • Michael Curtiz
  • Writers
    • Norman Reilly Raine(screen play)
    • Æneas MacKenzie(screen play)
    • Maxwell Anderson(from the stage play by)
  • Stars
    • Bette Davis
    • Errol Flynn
    • Olivia de Havilland
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 71User reviews
    • 29Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 5 Oscars
      • 5 nominations total

    Videos1

    The Private Lives of Elizabeth And Essex
    Trailer 3:29
    The Private Lives of Elizabeth And Essex

    Photos56

    Errol Flynn in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
    Errol Flynn, Ralph Forbes, and Robert Warwick in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
    Errol Flynn, Donald Crisp, Ralph Forbes, Henry Stephenson, James Stephenson, Robert Warwick, and Henry Daniel in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
    Errol Flynn, Ralph Forbes, and Robert Warwick in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
    Bette Davis and Errol Flynn in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
    Bette Davis and Errol Flynn in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
    Bette Davis and Errol Flynn in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
    Olivia de Havilland Publicity still for "Private Lives Of Elizabeth and Essex"
    Bette Davis and Errol Flynn in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
    Bette Davis and Errol Flynn in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
    Bette Davis and Errol Flynn in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
    Bette Davis and Errol Flynn in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bette Davis
    Bette Davis
    • Queen Elizabethas Queen Elizabeth
    Errol Flynn
    Errol Flynn
    • Earl of Essexas Earl of Essex
    Olivia de Havilland
    Olivia de Havilland
    • Lady Penelope Grayas Lady Penelope Gray
    Donald Crisp
    Donald Crisp
    • Francis Baconas Francis Bacon
    Alan Hale
    Alan Hale
    • Earl of Tyroneas Earl of Tyrone
    Vincent Price
    Vincent Price
    • Sir Walter Raleighas Sir Walter Raleigh
    Henry Stephenson
    Henry Stephenson
    • Lord Burghleyas Lord Burghley
    Henry Daniell
    Henry Daniell
    • Sir Robert Cecilas Sir Robert Cecil
    James Stephenson
    James Stephenson
    • Sir Thomas Egertonas Sir Thomas Egerton
    Nanette Fabray
    Nanette Fabray
    • Mistress Margaret Radcliffeas Mistress Margaret Radcliffe
    • (as Nanette Fabares)
    Ralph Forbes
    Ralph Forbes
    • Lord Knollysas Lord Knollys
    Robert Warwick
    Robert Warwick
    • Lord Mountjoyas Lord Mountjoy
    Leo G. Carroll
    Leo G. Carroll
    • Sir Edward Cokeas Sir Edward Coke
    Guy Bellis
    • Lord Charles Howardas Lord Charles Howard
    • (uncredited)
    Forrester Harvey
    Forrester Harvey
    • Bit Partas Bit Part
    • (uncredited)
    Holmes Herbert
    Holmes Herbert
    • Majordomoas Majordomo
    • (uncredited)
    I. Stanford Jolley
    I. Stanford Jolley
    • Spectator Outside Whitehall Palaceas Spectator Outside Whitehall Palace
    • (uncredited)
    Doris Lloyd
    Doris Lloyd
    • Handmaidenas Handmaiden
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Michael Curtiz
    • Writers
      • Norman Reilly Raine(screen play)
      • Æneas MacKenzie(screen play)
      • Maxwell Anderson(from the stage play by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      As well as shaving two inches off her hairline at the forehead, Bette Davis also had her eyebrows removed. She later complained that they never grew back properly and that ever after she had to draw them in with an eyebrow pencil.
    • Goofs
      The movie depicts Lord Burleigh being alive at the time of Essex's insurrection in 1601 however, Burleigh died in 1598.
    • Quotes

      Queen Elizabeth I: And when he takes you in his arms again, thank heaven you are not a queen.

      Mistress Margaret Radcliffe: But I thought to be a queen...

      Queen Elizabeth I: To be a Queen is to be less than human, to put pride before desire, to search Men's hearts for tenderness, and find only ambition. To cry out in the dark for one unselfish voice, to hear only the dry rustle of papers of state. To turn to one's beloved with stars for eyes and have him see behind me only the shadow of the executioner's block. A queen has no hour for love, time presses, and events crowd upon her, and her shell, an empty glittering husk, she must give up all the a woman holds most dear.

    • Crazy credits
      The Warner Brothers shield is in the form of an English coat of arms. This logo was seen in Errol Flynn's previous film The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).
    • Connections
      Edited into Adventures of Don Juan (1948)
    • Soundtracks
      The Passionate Shepherd to His Love (Come Live With Me and Be My Love)
      (posthumous 1599) (uncredited)

      :yrics by Christopher Marlowe

      Music by Erich Wolfgang Korngold

      Played on piano by Erich Wolfgang Korngold and sung by Nanette Fabray

    User reviews71

    Review
    Top review
    Bette and Errol: a strange matchup that works
    Bette Davis and Errol Flynn, the Queen and King of Warner Bros. in the late '30s and early '40s, only worked together a couple of times. "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex" is their major effort, and it's a very good one. Warners pulled out all the stops for this Technicolor extravaganza, and Curtiz directs with a sure hand. Erich Wolfgang Korngold's music is wonderful. The real star of the show, though, is Ms. Davis as Queen Elizabeth. With all the on-screen Elizabeths to choose from, you won't forget hers. I had just watched "The Sea Hawk" where Errol faces another great Elizabeth, Dame Flora Robson (even though they only have a couple of scenes together, but Errol seems much more at ease in that picture).

    Bette made no secret of her dislike for the freewheeling, womanizing, undisciplined Flynn, and criticized his performance opposite her for years afterwards (although if memory serves she eventually relented and admitted he wasn't bad). Some may take issue with the pacing of the movie, but Bette's so good, Errol's so handsome, and the dialogue so adult and refreshing (and don't forget the reliable villain Henry Daniell), you can't help but like it.
    helpful•10
    2
    • regina989
    • Sep 24, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 11, 1939 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Elizabeth and Essex
    • Filming locations
      • Stage 14, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $1,075,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 46 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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